Bali – First Round Update

Written by: Staff on 5th November 2011

WTA Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions in Nusa Dua

Bali - First Round Update

Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain eyes the ball during her semifinal match against Sabine Lisicki of Germany at the WTA Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia on 05 November 2011. Garrigues won the match after Lisicki had to withdraw from the match due to an injury. EPA/MADE NAGI |

Singles – First Round: Anabel Medina Garrigues def. (1) Marion Bartoli 4-6 7-6(9-7) 1-0, retired (ankle)

It has been a jinxed fall for Marion Bartoli. First she played just one match in Istanbul — meaning that she earned relatively few points and had no chance to reach the semifinal. All she did was tire herself out for Bali. Then she came here, and even had a two match points in the second set — but twisted her ankle at the start of the third, had the trainer out, and had to quit. Again, not enough points to matter. Oh, she had no chance of rising above #9 this week — but a good result here would have given her a shot at the #8 ranking at Brisbane next year. As it is, she already knows that (barring a withdrawal) she will be the #9 Australian Open seed. A tough way to end the year.

Anabel Medina Garrigues does not pick up enough points to matter; she is still at #28. But she is the second-lowest-ranked player in the draw — and Bartoli was the third seed in action, and the third seed eliminated. Being low-ranked seems to be an advantage at this event. So maybe Medina Garrigues is in unusually good shape.

Singles – First Round: (3) Sabine Lisicki def. Daniela Hantuchova 7-5 6-2

Finally a seed who wins something! Sabine Lisicki is the only one of the four seeds here to make the semifinal. And she looked pretty solid in doing it, too. That could spell a substantial rankings move. Just winning this match takes her to #15. That’s as high as she can go this week — indeed, this year — but if she does win the title, she could easily earn enough points in the early part of next year to earn the #12 Australian Open seed. She leaves Daniela Hantuchova no better than #23.

“DAILY TENNIS NEWS WIRE”

Topics: Anabel Medina Garrigues, Daniela Hantuchova, Marion Bartoli, Sabine Lisicki